Hidden In The Shadows
by Mysterious Writer 16
Summary: There is a new enemy for Hazel to outsmart and this one is far darker than Woundwort or Cowslip. The enemy hides within the shadows and fight with the strength of ten rabbits. Murders are committed, and kits go missing. Will Hazel be avail to find their new enemy and who is the mysterious Shadow-rah? What does he have against Hazel and his band? Can Hazel outsmart shadows?


**Hello out there all of you Watership Down lovers! I'm a HUGE fan of the Water ship Down Tv series and book. This fanfic is based off of the tv series. I own nothing! I only own my own plot and fan made characters.**

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Dusk had just set for the rabbits of Watership Down, ending their silflay earlier than normal. The night breeze tickled the grass making it sway and dance in time to the evening cricket's music. It was early fall and now the breeze carried with it chills and promises of a cold and hard winter ahead than instead of whispers of a new day. Bigwig was one of the few outside the warm and safe warren. The tough captain of the Owsla sniffed the scents in the air, eyes scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary. Seeing it was all clear he sat back on his haunches, breathing the cool fall air. He sat on the edge of the down, guarding like a proper rabbit of the Owsla.

"See anything out of the everyday, Bigwig?"

Turning his head the captain saw his chief Hazel-rah and the leader's little brother, Fiver exit the warren.

"Nothing…as usual. I hate the quiet, Hazel."

"Isn't quiet good?" the chief hopped over to his side to also get a look of the scene bellow them. He scratched his ear with his hind leg, also feeling the small tingle of unease about the still and quiet. All he could hear was the wind blowing threw the grass and trees, stirring them slightly as if teasing them about the closeness of winter. He could hear the chirping of the crickets, but even they seemed very quiet for some reason. It all bothered Hazel. "I mean…quiet means no trouble…"

"Sometimes," Bigwig grunted, "And sometimes it doesn't. It looks like any other night and yet…its all not. Blimey, I'm starting to feel like Fiver here." He then quickly looked to the small little buck, who sat beside his older brother, "Um-sorry, lad, forgot you were here." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling his claws sink into his brown mane.

The sweet buck smiled, "No…I understand. I feel it too, in the air and trees…something odd. I'm not quiet sure what it is, it feels like its right here though. It's like its hiding in the darkness," He looked up to his brother, "What do you think, Hazel?"

Hazel shook his head, "It's a mystery to me, little brother. Perhaps were all worrying over acorns and nuts! There isn't anything out there that I can see that looks wrong or smells it. I think we probably have eaten too much flayrah."

Fiver shook a little as a sudden chill came into the night's air. He rubbed his arms to help warm himself as he shook his head, "I doubt it…I feel it…I really do."

Hazel nuzzled his brother's head as he half heartedly chuckled, "Well, I shouldn't wonder you feel it! You're shaking like a leaf surviving winter. Get inside the warren and warm up. I think Dandelion is telling the story of El-ahrairah and Rowsby Wolf. You like that story!"

Fiver smiled a little for his brother's sake, knowing he didn't want him troubling himself with fears and suspicion. "Alright, but…I would like to talk about this later."

"Of course," Hazel nodded.

Fiver hopped away from the two, heading back into the warmth of the warren where all the life and joy seemed to live and play.

Bigwig chuckled knowingly as Hazel watched his brother enter the warren, "A little protective aren't you, big brother?"

"What?" Hazel snapped back to reality, facing Bigwig again, not really having heard the Owsla captain. Bigwig shook his head as he rolled his eyes and asked,

"What do you make of Fiver and…this?" Bigwig used his left ear to motion all around him.

Hazel sighed tiredly. It seemed dangers and threats came from all over lately. They had fought a weasel twice, been fighting against Efrafa, and had narrowly escaped Cowslip's warren of shinning wire. Hazel felt like he and his friends attracted danger ever since they first arrived to their new home, Watership Down. They seemed to not be allowed to just rest and relax, and enjoy the day's sun and each other's company. Hazel had learned a long time ago that Fiver's sixth sense was not to be just ignored. It almost always foretold of the upcoming dangers and sometimes even deaths like the fall of their old warren, Sandleford. They had barely managed to escape the destruction and flee to their new home. Now…they battled against General Woundwort, chief of the dreaded Efrafa. The evil cruel rabbit seemed to be going mad for their blood…particularly Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver's. Hazel had to use all his tricks and cunning to protect the warren and themselves. Every time though it seems Woundwort got smarter and smarter, nearly catching Hazel and his outsiders. It was a lot of work to keep the warren's location secret and protect all in it.

"What do I make of this? Well…I don't know. He feels something we can't see. I feel it too though," Hazel replied at last, "Not much we can do till…he sees something or we do."

Bigwig grunted, "Great…the waiting game…how lovely!"

Hazel motioned his head back towards the warren, "Come on, Bigwig, we won't figure it out standing here turning to frost bunnies. Let's join everyone in the Honey Comb. I'm sure nothing will bother us…tonight anyway."

Bigwig followed Hazel inside the down.

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Meanwhile…just in the forest outside the lonely hills…

Four figures made their way down the path, keeping close together and staying in the shadows, using every bush, and shadow for concealment from any who might be around. The four figures were rabbits with ash covered fur and bright yellow eyes. Three of them were males raging from different sizes and one was a female, who looked muscular and rather sly. She had a nature about her that showed she was used to being obeyed and no one better do anything different. She had a scar running from the bottom of her left ear to her chin. The scar was more of a white than the rest of her ash covered body, unable to hide it with the camouflage.

"Oh, that must be it!" one of the males popped his head out a bush a foot away from the path. Threw the trees he could see the large beech tree on a high lonely hill. It seemed to shine like a beacon for them in the night.

"Oui, shut your trap, brother Ashfur!" piped up the female as she popped her head up beside his. She was about a few seasons younger than him, but obviously was in charge of the group. She cuffed him up side the head, "What if they had a patrol coming around here at this moment? You would be dead, you buffoon!"

"Sorry, sister Moonshadow," He said submissively as the other two rabbits jumped out the crowded bush.

Moonshadow looked over to the other two, "I want you two to go up that alien warren and spy out. I want to find out who their leader is, how many there is, how trained is there Owsla, and how big is the warren. I want you'll to spend the next two days spying. Report back to me dusk on the second day. If you do not return I will call you both dead. I am sure Shadow-rah will not be pleased if I report that instead of facts."

The two nodded silently and hopped off, still using cover and shadows to hide them. Ashfur stepped out the bush.

"Sister Moonshadow, what do _we_ do?" Ashfur asked, not being one of the smartest of the group.

"We…wait…and watch like the shadows," Moonshadow hissed as she stepped into the night shadows, blending into the darkness like mist. All he could make out was her icy yellow eyes in the darkness. "Are you daft, brother Ashfur? What has training taught you? Some things best found out by just blending in with the shadows. They know more than anyone from just remaining still in both the light and dark. We will be like shadows and watch."

"Oh…" He nodded as he stepped back and used his ash covered fur to blend in. "I forgot…I think."

She shook her head, "That is why Shadow-rah made me captain of Owsla and not you, dog face. Now, hush up."

They were silent for a few seconds, but then Ashfur came up with one more question, "Uh…why don't we just rush them like we always do? Why spy?"

"Didn't understand one word out of our chief? He wants to know some things first."

"But they can't have more rabbits than Shadow-rah has. It seems pretty pointless to me."

"Of course it is to you, brother, but to a smart rabbit like Shadow-rah it's important. Just let the brains think alright?"

"Uhhhhh…alright." The two sat…watching…listening…like the shadows around them.

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 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and I will try to update soon!**


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